


Move On

by irnnotaboutthatlife



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-07 01:27:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6779704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irnnotaboutthatlife/pseuds/irnnotaboutthatlife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There has always been tension between Juvia and Gray, but despite his constant rejection of her, Juvia never lost hope. She was always dedicated to the young ice mage, truly believing that he would eventually reciprocate her feelings. Until one day in the guildhall, Gray makes it perfectly clear to Juvia and the whole guild that he has no interest in her whatsoever. So, Juvia decides that perhaps it is time for her to leave Gray alone and move on, if that is what would really make him happy.<br/>WARNING: This is a Gray/Juvia story, but there will be some Lyon/Juvia as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Partners

Juvia's POV

Juvia walked into the guildhall after completing another job. This was her third one this week, but she continued to make her way towards the request board. These days she was doing everything she could to keep her distance from her once beloved Gray.

'I could never face him after all the things he said,' she thought sadly.

********

A few weeks ago:

"Juvia!" Gray screeched, "Would you quit being so creepy?!"

The blue-haired mage blinked in confusion, "Whatever do you mean, darling?"

"This is the third time I found you stalking me on a job!" His voice echoed through the guildhall. "Normally I would try and keep my cool, but I can't take it anymore! I need to tell you how I really feel."

'This is it!' Juvia thought excitedly. 'He's finally going to confess his love for me. Oh god, what will I say?' Her cheeks burned red with excitement as she impatiently waited to hear the words she's been dreaming of.

"Juvia, you're annoying," Gray said bluntly, his eyes glaring down at her with the utmost disgust.

"I--I..." Juvia couldn't believe her ears. This couldn't be real.

"You're creepy and possessive--and were not even dating! You freak me out with all this 'beloved' and 'meant to be' crap. I just can't take this anymore!" His voice rose with every word, but Juvia was hardly registering what was taking place. The pain in her chest was unbearable, she wasn't sure if she would be able to hold back the tears.

Somehow she managed to find the strength to squeak out a small, "Excuse me," before she ran out of the hall. She could feel the eyes of her guildmates boring into the back of her head, following her as she made her way to the door. She didn't care what they thought of her, the only opinion she ever cared for was Gray's, and he could no longer stand her.

Juvia found herself standing in front of her apartment complex before she finally allowed her tears to fall. No pain could compare to the suffering she now felt, and even with her legs weary from running, she slowly made her way up the steps to her room. She passed a few of the tenants who asked her what the matter was, but she merely gave them a weak smile and shook her head, tear still flowing.

She unlocked the door to her apartment and as soon as the door shut, she let out a loud sob.

'Why am I never good enough for him?' she wondered sadly. 'I am willing to do anything to make him happy, even give up my life for him, and it is still not enough.' Juvia's tears had ceased falling, she no longer had the energy to produce any more.

'If he wants me to stay away, then I will,' she thought bitterly, grinding her teeth in frustration. 'I realize now that, no matter what I do, he will never love me. It is time for me to move on.'

*********

"Hey," a deep voice mumbled. Juvia didn't have to look to know who it was. It was a voice she was all too familiar with, the voice of the man she once held dear. It pained her just to hear it so close to her.

His voice momentarily interrupted her thoughts, leaving her hand to hover over the job she was going to take. There was another hand right above the request.

"I was just about to take that job, but we can go on this one together. Like old times," he said, giving her a grin that would usually melt her heart.

"No, you can have it," she said coolly, refusing to even glance in his direction. She ripped a random request off the board and walked out of the guild.

'Perhaps I shouldn't have been so cold,' she contemplated. 'I could have gone on a job with Gray!' she continued to whine.

'You heard him before, he doesn't want you anywhere near him!' she argued with herself. 

'But he asked if I wanted to go with him. Maybe he changed his mind,' she pushed.

'Or maybe he just felt bad for you.'

Juvia sighed sadly, but decided to shove the idea out of her head for now. She looked down at the request, finally reading the job she begrudgingly took after relinquishing the job she wanted to Gray. The flyer asked for someone to run a few bandits out of town, which seemed simple enough for an ex member of the notorious Element 4.

"…it's in the middle of a town high up in Mt. Hakobe," she mumbled. "An ice wizard would be helpful to have accompany me on such a mission." She let out an exasperated sigh as she recalled countless of times where her and Gray worked together as partners on a mission.

"Did you say you needed an ice wizard?" a voice asked from behind. Juvia turned to see it was none other than Lamia Scale's ace, Lyon.

Juvia felt an embarrassed blush creep across her face as she stared into his dark eyes. She was well aware of how the white-haired wizard felt about her, but he had long ago graciously accepted that she did not reciprocate those feelings.

"Well I--you see--I grabbed a simple job request to taken down some bandits that are terrorizing a village in Mt. Hakobe," she answered softly. "I was just thinking about how beneficial it would be to have an ice wizard with me, considering what happened to Natsu and Lucy the last time they had a mission in the mountains." Juvia remembered the chilling tale of how they almost froze and starved to death in some sort of ice maze. She did not want to go up there alone, especially if the weather became too harsh for even her water magic to handle. She considered taking Natsu with her, so at least she was guaranteed a source of heat, but of course he would invite his whole team. Which meant Gray would come.

"Well look no further, Juvia my darling. I will gladly assist you on your mission," Lyon smiled. He grabbed her hands in his and continued, "I will protect you, no matter what." The fire in his eyes made it hard for Juvia not to smile back. She pushed a few stray hairs behind her ear and silently nodded her head. She figured that some company was better than none, not to mention that Lyon was a very capable wizard; she was better off working with him. Still, as she walked further and further away from the guildhall, she couldn't help but feel as though a piece of her was missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing a Fairy Tail fanfiction, so please bear with me. Please tell me what you think, I could really use the encouragement.


	2. Just Apologize

Gray's POV

'There she is,' Gray noted as the blue-haired wizard walked through the hall, straight to the request board. 'Didn't she just get back from a job? Why is she already looking into another one?'

"Hey Lucy," Gray whispered to the celestial wizard, "how much was that last job Juvia took on?"

"Freggin 500,000 jewels!" answered the flame brain instead. "You would think she would have asked one of us to join her, I really wanted that job."

"I could've used the money for rent," Lucy agreed, slamming her head down on the table.

'Then why would Juvia take on another job? She obviously doesn't need the money.'

"I'm gonna go see if there is a job I'd wanna take," he mumbled to no one in particular. He excused himself from the sad bunch and silently made his way to the board. Juvia hadn't seemed to notice him at all, which seemed a little strange.

'Maybe she didn't see you when she walked in,' he thought to himself. 'This ought to get her attention.' He quickly reached for the paper that Juvia was about to take. She seemed surprised to find another person standing next to her.

"Hey," Gray said nonchalantly, "I was just about to take that job, but we can go on this one together. Like old times." He gave her a grin that he knew would make her swoon.

'This is it, she has to talk to me now,' he thought confidently.

She didn't even bother to look at him as she replied indifferently, "No, you can have it." Then she ripped a different request off the board and walked off.

'What has gotten into her? Usually she would be thrilled with the idea of us working together, especially since I was the one who offered.' The ice wizard slowly walked back to the table without taking a second glance at the job request. He crossed his arms over his bare chest, not remembering when he had taken off his shirt. Was Juvia really going to give him the cold shoulder?

"What's the matter, man?" the dragon slayer asked, his mouth full of food. Normally, Gray would criticize Natsu for his revolting behavior, but he could hardly muster the energy.

"Is something wrong with Juvia? I haven't seen her in a while, and when she finally comes back, she won't even look at me."

"Girls are weird man," Natsu answered simply, taking another bite of a rather large chicken leg.

"Um, maybe it was because you completely embarrassed her in front of the whole guild?" Lucy answered indignantly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gray growled, he would never do that to Juvia.

Lucy gave him a glare that sent shivers down his spine, "You not only said that she was annoying, you yelled at her in front of everyone, and called her a creep. How's a girl supposed to feel after that?"

"I agree with Lucy," Erza piped up. She sat herself across from Gray and gave him a stern look. "What you did that day was completely out of line. If I were Juvia, I would have slain you on the spot. Bless her for handling it much better than I could ever dream."

"You did upset her pretty bad," Natsu recalled, tapping his chin as he continued, "I'm pretty sure I saw tears in her eyes."

"OKAY. ENOUGH," Gray shouted, unable to hide his irritation. "I didn't mean to say all that stuff, I was just frustrated and---."

"That's no excuse to take your anger out on her," Erza interrupted in a stern tone.

"I know that but---," Gray argued.

"What made you believe she wouldn't react at all to such harsh words?" the redhead continued. "Especially since it came from someone she hold so dearly. I told you before, you had to give her an answer. Had I known you were going to say it so bluntly… I never would have made the request."

"Would you just let me explain?!" Gray demanded, his brows furrowing in frustration. His friends looked at him expectantly, which surprised him. It was always hard to silence the rowdy bunch, and then to have all eyes on him, well it was hard to gather the words he wanted to say. Gray took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady as he spoke quietly, "I never meant to hurt her, honest. I was just so angry with her because this was no ordinary mission. I was trying to get more information on where my father may have gone after his body was resurrected by Keyes. Those demons were incredibly dangerous, and I just didn't want Juvia to be around me while I was on my search. I knew that, no matter what I said, she would try and follow me. Especially if she knew how deadly this mission could easily become."

"So you ran her off?" Lucy confirmed.

"I felt it was the only option, but I didn't think she would take it to heart. I thought she was used to my rejections, so I figured just being a little harsher wouldn't be so bad. I thought, at most she might stay away for a few days, but I didn't expect it would end up like this," Gray confessed.

'I didn't think I would miss her presence this much,' he thought sadly.

"A little harsh?" Lucy asked in disbelief, slamming her hand down on the table, causing Gray to jump back in his seat. Sometimes when Lucy got mad, she could be just as bad as Erza. "What you said was something beyond a little harsh. In fact, it's pretty damn near unforgivable. Have you even tried to apologize to her?"

"I---uh--well…," Gray began. A drop of sweat began to trickle down his head as he realized how idiotic he was. "Well, she hasn't been around the guild much," he argued. "And when she's here, she just grabs another job request and then leaves again!"

"Oh yeah? Well, you were able to talk to her today. Did an apology not occur to you then?" Lucy asked smugly.

'Crap, she got me,' Gray whined.

"Alright, alright. I'll go after her, I think I can figure out which job she took if I just ask Mira. I'll catch you guys later!" And with that, Gray sprinted to the bar to find Mirajane.

*******

Juvia's POV

Juvia's dress was flying in all different directions as the freezing wind blew past her. Although she was dressed in her warmest apparel, she still felt numb to the core.

"I can see the village up ahead!" Lyon called back to her.

'Thank goodness,' she sighed, 'If I have to stay out here much longer, I may freeze.'

Lyon stood in place as he waited for Juvia to catch up to him. He only had a light jacket on, demonstrating how little of an affect the cold had on him. Juvia was unable to mask how impressed she was with him. Lyon took notice and gave her a smug grin, clearly pleased that he was able to impress the beautiful water mage. The cold wind grew stronger by the minute, and the second gust was able to knock Juvia off her feet.

"I didn't undergo years of training just to be stopped by a little cold and wind," he joked, offering her his hand. She gladly took it and held on tightly as he guided their way to the small town.

When they finally reached the village, Juvia's hair had nearly all but frozen in place. They were welcomed gladly by the townsfolk and offered a place to stay for the night.

"I'm sorry," the innkeeper said gently, "but we only have one room left. Would that be alright?"

"Yes, of course!" Lyon exclaimed, not even bothering to mask his excitement. Juvia felt her face grow warmer as she thought about sharing a room with him.

'Oh, what have I gotten myself into?' she wondered.


	3. Haven't Changed Much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure if I will be able to update tomorrow because I am moving out of my dorm today, but please check in to see if I do. I will try my best to update soon. As usual, let me know what you guys think!

Lyon's POV

The ice wizard was barely able to keep himself calm as he and Juvia made their way to their room. His hand shook roughly when he tried to turn the key to their door, but he tried his best to hide it. He knew that he would not be sharing the bed with the fair Juvia, but he did not expect the inn to not even have a couch for him to sleep on.

"No matter," he said cheerfully, "I will gladly sleep on the floor, as long as you are comfortable." He did not know why he was still trying so hard to please her when he knew that she was in love with Gray, but he could not help it. He loved to see Juvia happy, even if it is with someone else. Her happiness was ranked far above his own, and he was willing to do anything for her.

"Really, it is alright Lyon," she said softly, a blush creeping her face. She took off her hat and pushed her blue locks back as she said, "I would feel horrible if you had to sleep on the floor. It's alright, you can have the bed."

Lyon felt as if his heart was going to burst, 'This woman is so giving and kind, Gray is such a lucky man.'

"Honestly Juvia, I would sleep better knowing that you had the bed instead."

Juvia glanced down at the mattress with its neatly pressed sheets. She touched one of the pillows and mumbled, "Well, there appears to be enough room for the both of us. As long as we keep a pillow between us, and you sleep on your side… I suppose it would be ok---." But before Juvia could even finish her sentence, Lyon had changed into his nightwear and hopped right into bed.

"Care to join me?" he asked, his eyes glimmering with hope. Juvia covered her mouth as she let out a soft giggle, but this only made Lyon's heart beat even faster.

"Let me run to the bathroom and change first," she smiled. She gathered her clothes and walked off, still laughing at his ridiculous gesture. Although it did admittedly hurt his ego to see that Juvia did not take him seriously, he was thrilled to see a smile on her face. He had noticed that, throughout the trip, she had not once appeared to be happy. In fact, her face looked rather downtrodden as of late.

'I wonder what is going on with her,' he thought to himself.

When Juvia came out of the bathroom, all those thoughts flew out the window. He gave her an appreciative once over as he took in every detail. Her hair was flowing in loose, blue tendrils, covering half her face. She nervously tugged at the large black t-shirt, trying to make it cover as much of her legs as possible. A light blush dusted her cheeks as she gazed down at the floor, unable to make eye contact with him.

"Juvia, you look amazing," he breathed out. He felt as though he was going to pass out just by gazing at her.

Her eyes widened with surprise as she mumbled back a small, "Thank you." Then she crawled into the bed, carefully placing a large pillow between them. "Please try and stay on your side," she said quietly but firmly.

"But of course," Lyon agreed while turning off the lamp on his side.

The wind howled throughout the night and there seemed to be no end to the snow. Lyon listened to it all as he silently laid in the bed. It reminded him of his time training with Ur, how he longed for those days. He left the curtains drawn open so that he could watch the snow fall. He thought back to the times where he and Gray would compete to see who would impress Ur the most.

His thoughts were the interrupted by the soft sound of Juvia's breathing. Lyon smiled to himself as he snuck another glance at the water mage.

'Things haven't really changed all that much,' he thought to himself before he drifted off to sleep.

*********

Juvia's POV

Juvia was the first one to wake up that morning, and for once, she had a good night's sleep. She snuggled closer to the pillow, nuzzling her face to its warmth.

'Wait, warmth?' she wondered in surprise. 'I--is this pillow…breathing?!' She jumped back to her side of the bed to see that she had actually had her arms wrapped around Lyon while she was sleeping. Juvia thought she was going to die of embarrassment. Wasn't she the one who told him to stay on his own side, yet she could not even stay on hers?

'What if my darling Gray saw me?' was her immediate thought, but then she slowly remembered how Gray did not care for her at all. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she, once again, remembered that awful day.

'How long must I be forced to relive such a terrible moment?' she demanded. All she wanted was to forget that day, but no matter what she did, she could not escape it. Every job she took only made her think how nice it would be to have Gray by her side, and how much she missed just hearing his voice. When she's at the guild, even for one moment, she is reminded of how she was humiliated in front of them. When she sits down to have a meal, she can hear Gray and Natsu bickering away as if everything were normal, which hurt her even more.

'How can Gray just continue living his life as if nothing happened. Even if he does not love me the way I loved him, I thought I at least _meant_ something to him. I thought he at least cherished our friendship, or whatever it was that we had.' Juvia wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. She wanted to cry, to yell, to demand answers. But she did not move from her spot. She refused to allow another tear to be shed on someone who did not care for her.

She let out a deep sigh and casted her gaze upon Lyon, who was still sound asleep, despite Juvia's mental breakdown. She thought it was funny how, even though it felt as if the walls were caving in on her, the world kept turning. How, although she was stuck on one moment in her life, time continued to march on without her.

'I need to let him go,' she thought, 'but I guess it should be easy since he was never mine to begin with.' 


	4. Under My Skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I am experimenting on doing the POV in first person. PLEASE let me know what you think. I need to know if it goes better. I personally prefer it, but I still like opinions. :D

*Gray's POV*

According to Mira, Juvia had taken the job in Mt. Hakobe and rumor has it she didn't go alone. There aren't many villages in the mountains, and thankfully Mira was able to recall where the village could be located. I knew the cold wasn't going to be a problem for me, but I couldn't help but wonder how Juvia would fair under such conditions. Any extreme weather conditions could bring about a number of complications to her Water Body.

'I wonder who she brought along with her on the job,' I thought bitterly. While I made my way up the mountain, I tried to recall anyone from the guild who could have been an option, but no one came to mind. If she was going to pick anyone, my first assumption was Natsu, just for his unnatural body heat. Then, I expected she would have chosen Erza, both women were crazy in their own right. But mainly, I was surprised that she didn't ask _me_.

I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much, but it did. It was like a sore I couldn't stop picking at. I knew that if we had decided to work together, she would go on and on about how she was so happy to be working with me. That nothing could defeat us because "our love was a force to be reckoned with". Normally, I would dread the idea of working with her, but things always turned out that way. I guess, somehow, she got under my skin.

Before I knew it, I had reached the village, luckily before the sun went down. I decided it was best for me to try and look for Juvia in the morning. Considering how cold it was, there was no chance that she would try and complete the mission right away, especially something so simple as defeating a couple of outlaws. I was able to locate the only inn they had, but considering the size of the village, I was shocked that they would have one in the first place.

You couldn't imagine my surprise when the innkeeper told me that there wasn't any room left.

"Are you kidding me?" I demanded, trying my best to hide my frustration. I scratched the back of my neck absentmindedly while I tried to come up with an idea of where I could stay.

Apparently I had taken my shirt off because the innkeeper pointed at my Guild Mark and asked, "You're also from Fairy Tail?"

I gave her a confused look as I hesitantly replied, "…Yes?"

"I'm surprised they sent so many of you, I didn’t think it would be that big of a job," she remarked.

"Wait, who else is here?" I questioned, of course one of them had to be Juvia, but this was an opportune moment to find out who went with her.

The old woman gave me a warm smile as she recalled, "Oh, a beautiful girl with gorgeous blue hair and her white-haired companion. I think it could be her boyfriend. They took the last room I had."

'Elfman?' I thought, but immediately shot the idea down. There was no way Juvia would agree to work with him.

"Did the white-haired guy give you his name?" I pushed.

"Let me check the books," she said, turning her back to me. I anxiously waited for a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

"Ah, his name is Lyon Vastia," she said finally.

" _LYON_?!" I shouted, "HOW DID THAT HAPPEN. HE'S NOT PART OF THE GUILD." I angrily slammed my fist down on the woman's desk, causing the wood to crack a little. I mumbled a quick apology as I walked out of the inn.

'Lyon? Seriously?! She knows he has the hugest crush on her, why would she decide to take him and not me?' I walked around aimlessly throughout the whole village, brewing in irritation. 'I swear to god, if Lyon even lays a finger on Juvia, I'll---."

'Wait, why do I care?' I suddenly wondered, my heart pounding at the idea of me sharing a room with Juvia instead of Lyon. Not just a room, but a warm bed. The thought of just lying beside her made my cheeks grow warm.

'When did I start thinking about her that way?' I knew that there was something going on between us, but I didn't think it was anything to this extent. 'Maybe it started when she stopped talking to me,' I sighed. 'She really did get under my skin.'

I managed to find an empty, run down house and decided it was good enough. I had slept in worse conditions, so a little cold and hard ground wasn't a big deal. But as I laid there staring up at snow falling through a hole in the roof, I couldn't help but wonder what Juvia was doing.

'Is she thinking of me? Does she even care anymore?' But I knew the answers weren't going to be found in the sky, I had to find Juvia and ask her myself. A drop of sweat dripped down my forehead as I thought about her telling me off, rightfully so. Like Lucy and Erza said, what I did to her was unforgivable. 'But maybe if I explain the circumstances…' I groaned in annoyance. 'Why do I care so much about what she thinks? I don't even like her in that way.'

I prayed for sleep, knowing it would allude me after telling myself the biggest fucking lie I have ever told.


	5. Water and Ice

*Juvia's POV*

"Good work Juvy!" Lyon cheer as I drowned our opponents in my Water Lock.

"I thought I told you to not call me that!" I responded irritably. The bandits appeared to have passed out within the dome of water, so I released them before they were to suffer any more damage.

"I'll take it from here, Juvia." Lyon eagerly moved in front of me and created a cage for the criminals. Ice magic always appealed to me, it was so beautiful and well-crafted. It takes a lot of imagination and focus, things that I always felt I lacked.

"I can bring the cage in my Water Dome," I offered. Water Dome was able to provide oxygen for those who are in it, unlike my Water lock, which is meant to incapacitate my enemies.

"Don't worry about it," Lyon smiled, "I got it covered." And then he formed an ape made entirely out of ice, but unlike Gray's magic, Lyon's ice was able to move more freely. The ape took a hold of the cage and carried it on his back while walking alongside us. I could hardly mask my amazement, it was like art coming to life.

"Wow…" was all I managed to mumble, my eyes widening in astonishment. Lyon gave me a shy smile, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"It really isn't anything special, you've seen my magic before in the games."

"Yes, but seeing it up close is something entirely different," I said softly.

"Do you want to see something a little better?" he asked quietly. I simply nodded my head in reply. He raised his hands up to his chest, they were cupped together. Then he whispered, "Come closer." I followed his instructions, slowly shifting closer to him. He opened his hands, and in his palm were two miniature penguins huddled together. They walked around Lyon's hand and then snuggled back together again.

"Oh! They're adorable!" I exclaimed. A light blush began to dust Lyon's cheeks, it was actually kind of adorable.

'Wait, what am I thinking? This is Lyon!' I thought in disgust.

"Let's head back to the village and get something to eat. I'm starving and I really want to eat you out," Lyon said, turning his back to me.

"WHAT?!" I shouted. 'Did he just say what I think he said?'

He raised a brow at me and slowly repeated, "Let's head back to the village and get something to eat. I'm starving and I really want to treat you, now."

'Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. Why did I think he would say such a thing?'

"Are… you okay?" he asked with a suspicious tone.

"OH YEAH. COMPLETELY FINE." My voice had gone up several pitches, it was making me cringe, but I couldn’t help it. For some reason, Lyon was actually making me nervous.

"Well… if say so…," he said hesitantly, then started to make his way back to the village.

'Oh god, what is happening to me?'

 

*Gray's POV*

"Gray!" Juvia called out to me with a bright smile on her face. I couldn't help but return one back to her.

"Hey, I was just looking for you! I thought you would still be at the inn."

"No, me and Lyon were just leaving to get started on this job."

Then suddenly, as if appearing from thin air, Lyon arrived and wrapped his arm around Juvia. She blushed and gave him a look that she used to only give me. A look of the utmost admiration and love.

It hurt.

It felt like I was being stabbed right in the chest. There was no other way to explain for the pain I was feeling.

"J-Juvia?" I stuttered, trying hard not to let her see how agonizing it was to watch her slip away. But she couldn’t hear me. Or maybe she just didn't care.

"Juvia!" I shouted, trying to reach out to her, but she somehow managed to move further away from me. She was still smiling warmly at Lyon, and his face was moving closer to hers.

"JUVIA, PLEASE," I begged. I tried running towards the two of them, but they just kept moving further and further away. Then something cold and wet dripped on my face.

"The hell?" I opened my eyes and realized I was still in the abandoned house. The hole in the roof allowed the melting snow to come through, and some of the ice water managed to plop onto my face.

"It was only a dream," I mumbled to myself.

'But what if it wasn't? What if it's happening right now?' a small voice inside me questioned, causing me to spring up from the hard floor. I was drenched in sweat and my muscles were aching, but it didn’t matter.

"I need to get to Juvia."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, the chapter was a little short, but I am really tired and I just wanted to update today because I'm not sure if I will tomorrow. Thank you guys for the kudos and comments. You have no idea how encouraging it is to see it. I almost decided to just toss the whole story because I felt like it just wasn't good enough, but you have all helped. So thank you!


	6. Drink It Away

*Gray's POV*

I rushed out of the old house as quickly as my legs would carry me. They were still sore from sleeping on the cold, hard ground. My heart was pounding as I made my way back to the inn.

'Please, don't tell me I'm too late,' I prayed. The sun was beginning to set, I couldn't believe I had slept for so long.

'Well, you were up late last night, thinking about her,' a voice echoed in my head. I tried to shake it off, this was no time to think about that.

'I may not know what to say to her, but I do know I have to get to her before Lyon can make his move!'

This made my feet stomp on the concrete even harder than before. With each step, with each bound, I grew angrier at the thought of them being so close.

Lyon's grown to be an incredibly strong and tactful wizard, considering he had seven damn years to get ahead. He could be impressing her with how much he's improved.

"GAH, I can't think about that!" I yelled, catching the eye of a passerby across the street. Luckily, I had made it to the inn, so I could quickly escape his gaze.

"Hello," I said breathlessly to the innkeeper.

She gave me a glare and hesitantly said, "...yes? Can't I help you with something? Or do you plan on throwing another fit again?" I was about to give her an earful, but decided against it. Admittedly, she had every right to be upset with me. I was utterly disrespectful, and gave Fairy Tail a bad name in her eyes.

I took a deep breath and replied in the most calm and sincerest way I could, "Ma'am, I'm truly sorry for my behavior. I really didn't mean to get so worked up. I just---."

"The girl isn't here," she interrupted with a mischievous smile. "Her and her boyfriend returned after completing their mission and have gone out to dinner to celebrate."

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING M---." But before I could finish my rant, the lady gave me a pointed stare, and I immediately quieted down. I began to feel uneasy as I walked back and forth in her small lobby.

"Listen son," the hag mumbled, "you can wait here if you'd like. A room just opened up, if you're still interested." I merely gave her a nod, but continued to pace back and forth. They had to return at some point.

*Juvia's POV*

"A-and then, the jerk just ye-yelled in front of eeeevERYONE that I was a nuisance! ME! ANNOYING? Sssssnot right!" I slammed the shot glass down, feeling it crack a little on my hand. I lost count of how many I had drank, but I had a nice warm feeling setting in, and I wasn't about to stop now.

"Get me 'nother," I mumbled to Lyon.  
"Juvia, I really think that's enough," he insisted. His cheeks were tinted red, but his eyes remained clear and sober.

"D-don't you wanna have a good time with me?" I asked seductively. I slowly batted my eyelashes at him and allowed the shoulder of my dress to drop just a bit.

His eyes widened with surprise, but he took a deep breath and shook his head. He turned away from me, closing his eyes as he did so.

"Damnit! Juvia, please. Let's just head back to the inn, you're drunk."

"You should be too!" I pushed one of the shots he didn't drink closer to him.

"Someone has to take care of you," he said, a hint of sadness tinged his voice. His eyes were glued to the shot that was sitting before him.

He looked so sad.

'Why?' I wondered, but I couldn't get the words to form properly. My tongue felt heavy, nothing was coming out right.

"Please, let's go home," he insisted once more.

But I was too tired to move, I wanted to lay down. I leaned into Lyon, and before I succumbed to sleep, I felt his arms wrap tightly around me and the last thing I thought was how warm he was.

*Lyon's POV*

I carried Juvia out of the bar, occasionally looking down at her to make sure she was okay. Luckily, it wasn't snowing tonight, so Juvia wouldn't be too cold while she rested.

"You went overboard tonight," I said softly to her. She snuggles closer to my chest, causing my heart to beat faster.

'She might be able to hear it,' I thought in embarrassment. The rest of the trip back to the inn was quiet except for Juvia's occasional soft snoring.

The warmth of the inn welcomed us as we entered.

"Oh my, is she okay?" the old woman at the desk asked.

"She's fine, she just had a little too much to dr---."

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HER?" an annoying voice demanded. It made me want to throttle whoever it was coming from. I slowly turned around to find it was Gray Fullbuster.

"Of course," I mumbled, rolling my eyes in frustration.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so late. I've been doing some shadowing at a rehab center, gotta get those hours in! Well, I appreciate the kudos. I can't even begin to express my gratitude. I know things are moving a bit slow, but I'm just kinda writing this on the fly. Please continue to support and be patient! Thank you!


	7. Heavy Words

Gray's POV

I looked over to Juvia, who was out cold as she laid in Lyon's arms. I could feel my pulse racing as I tried to figure out what could have possible happened.

"I swear to god, Lyon. If you fucking hurt her, I'll---!"

"Oh will you relax?" Lyon interrupted, irritation spreading across his face. "I would never hurt my precious Juvia. She just had a little too much to drink, is all. I tried to stop her but... Well, she had a lot on her mind." He gave me a look that could only be described as accusatory, and I couldn't help but feel guilty. I tried to ignore the feeling in the pit of my stomach, but it was no use. The guilt within me wouldn't subside, instead of felt like it was burning within me, suffocating me.

"Gray," Lyon called out, waking me from my stupor. His expression was unreadable, but he sounded a bit concerned.

"What?" I asked coldly.

"I'm going to take her back to the room, but you and I are going to have a talk." He sounded like my fucking dad. What the hell could we possible have to talk about. The only person I wanted to talk to was out cold. I just didn't have the energy to give him a sarcastic remark, so I just nodded my head and fell into the nearest chair in the lobby.

Eventually, Lyon came down with a stern look on his face. He grabbed the nearest chair and brought it closer to mine so that we were facing each other.

"Gray, what happened between you and Juvia?" he asked with genuine concern in his voice. I was taken aback by his worried expression. It was always hard for me to open up to people, and trying to talk to Lyon was beyond awkward.

"I--I don't see how that's any of your concern," I stubbornly replied, turning my gaze away from him. Still, I could feel Lyon's stare burn right through me.

"Of course I'm concerned, especially when it comes to Juvia. But Gray, although we are rivals, we are also Ur's students. And thus, we have a bond that ties us together, whether we like it or not." He leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth raising in a small smile. I rolled my eyes, but returned the smile back to him.

I started to explain to him the mission I had set out on. I told him how I found out Juvia had followed me, and how angry I was with her for possibly endangering her life. I told him how I pushed her away in front of everyone. How Juvia started to become distant and how that got to me. I explained to him these feelings I was starting to develop, and how I didn't know what to make of them. Lyon didn't interrupt me once while I tried to explain, which surprised me.

But the second I finished, the first words out of his mouth were, "You're an idiot." I stared at him dumbfounded, mouth completely agape. Admittedly, I shouldn't have said all those things I said to her, but I was only trying to do the best thing for her.

"How am I an idiot? I was just trying to protect her. She would've just followed me again if I explained the situation! She would be risking her life unnecessarily!" I was fuming, Lyon would side with Juvia.

"You're an idiot because you're trying to make these choices for her," he answered calmly, it was a little unnerving.

"Excuse me?!" I yelled back, gaining a harsh glare from the innkeeper.

"Will you lower your voice? God, what could she possibly see in you?" he mumbled. "Juvia isn't just some girl who follows you around like a puppy, though I'm sure that's how you view her," he continued in a patronizing tone. "She's very intelligent and is fully capable of holding her own. If she wishes to follow you after you explain the situation, you should respect her wishes."

"But it's my father, my mission. She has no right to tag along!" I argued back.

"She wants to protect you. Do you know what your father told her, after she defeated Keyes?"

I gave him a blank stare, 'What the hell is he talking about?'

"Your father was able to send a telepathic message to Juvia, right before he died. He told her to take care of you."

My heart stopped beating, my eyes started to burn as they welled up with tears. I pushed them back, but my breathing wouldn't steady.

"Why..." I whispered to no one in particular. I just couldn't understand why he would ask Juvia and why she was always ready to throw her life away.

"Maybe because she loves you. Maybe because your father could see that she's someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect you. Maybe he knew deep down that...well, you love her too." Lyon shrugged, turning his attention to the floor.

"I would never ask that of Juvia," I said softly.

"I know but--."

"When we fought the dragons, I had a vision that I was..." I hesitated, unsure how to phrase the words.

"Killed?" Lyon finished, giving me a look of understanding.

I nodded my head and continued, "I pushed Juvia out of the way. The last thing I heard were her screams." I shuddered at the thought. I still wake up in cold sweats to the sound of her screams. "Ever since then, I knew I felt something towards her, but I couldn't bring myself to come to terms with it."

"I knew I was ready and willing to give my life up for her, but I just can't bring myself to accept that she is willing to do the same."

  
I slammed my fist down on my thigh as I glared down at my feet. "Too many people have sacrificed their lives for me, there are times where I feel like I don't deserve it. There are times where I just don't know if--" I choked on the words that were trying to escape my lips.

Lyon rested a hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I looked up at him for a brief moment, tears forming in my eyes again.

"There are times where I don't know if I could live another day with the guilt. There are times where I lay in bed and consider meeting them all again." I couldn't stop the words that were spilling out of my mouth. It was like a dam within me was broken and all my thoughts were flooding out.

"Gray, how could you say such things? They sacrificed their lives because they loved you!" Lyon grabbed me by both my shoulders and shook me roughly, but my eyes remained glued to the floor.

"Look what happens to the people who love me," I said in such a low voice, I wasn't sure if he could even hear me. "They all...they all die. If Juvia were to die, I think that would be it for me. That would be my breaking point."

I finally looked back at Lyon, and was surprised to find that tears were streaming down his face. His eyebrows were furrowed in anger, but the tears didn't stop.

"Gray, how could you be so selfish?" he demanded. "If you decided to give up your life, you would be throwing away everything that your loved ones sacrificed for you. You would be spitting on their graves."

"I know," I cut him off. "That's why I haven't done anything ye---."

"It doesn't matter that you haven't done anything. You've thought about it, and that alone is an insult. They don't want you to live your life with regrets! They want you live your life with the other who love you. They want you to be happy. They've lived their lives and made their choices, don't be foolish and throw it all away!"

Before I could even respond, Lyon pulled me in an embrace. My hands hovered over him for a moment, but eventually I gave in. I felt so dumb for feeling this way, especially when I knew Lyon was right. But, it was something I had to deal with myself.

After a few minutes, Lyon let me go and informed me that he and Juvia would be leaving first thing in the morning. He asked if I would like to join them, but I turned him down.

"I'll speak to her again at the guild," I told him and he gave me one last nod before we parted ways.

******  
Juvia's POV

"Finally," I breathed out as I stood in front of the guildhall. I was still shaking from the trip back at the mountains, and my head was aching from all the shots.

"I can't believe I drank so much," I mumbled, "How embarrassing."

"It was kinda cute," Lyon laughed, his head thrown back in mirth. I smiled at him, he really was starting to grow on me.

"Um, Lyon?" I asked, my cheeks burning as I thought about what I was going to ask him. He stopped his laughing and turned to me with a smile.

"What's up, Juvia?"

"I was--um--I was wondering if..." I stared down at my boots, my fingers fumbling over the other. "...if maybe you wanted to get dinner with me tomorrow night. I feel so ashamed that I ruined our dinner last night. But don't worry, I won't be drinking this time," I said with a nervous laugh.

'Oh god, why am I acting like this? Lyon shouldn't make me nervous!'

"Yeah, sure that sounds great," he said, giving me another smile.

"Great! Well I better get going! I'll meet you here tomorrow night!" And then I ran off into the guild. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest, though I couldn't understand why. Lyon wasn't bad looking, in fact, he actually was fairly handsome.

'Granted, not as handsome as Gr--,' I immediately shook the thought out of my head. I wasn't going to allow myself to even think of his name. 'Still, I can't seem to understand why I got so anxious. I don't think I have feelings for Lyon? But what if I do?'

I pulled my hat further down my head in frustration. "Ughhhhhh," I groaned, "I hope I don't. The last thing I need are more boy troubles."

I made my way to the bar, and rested my head on the cool counter.

"Need anything, Juvia?" Mirajane asked in her sweet voice.

"Something for this hangover," I mumbled.

"Sure thing," she said happily. I smiled at her, Mira was just too perfect sometimes.

I felt the presence of someone sitting besides me, the opposite side of where I was facing, but I didn't bother to check who it was. All I wanted was a Bloody Mary to cure this hangover, and then head back to my apartment to sleep the day off.

"H-hey Juvia?" the stranger beside me asked. It made my blood freeze, which would be funny considering whose voice it was.

I slowly picked my head up and turned to Gray, who looked to be...sweating?

"We need to talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a while! I got carried away on a side project and I was feeling kinda down. This feels like my worst story yet, and I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you. :/


	8. Anything Left to Say

Gray's POV

I almost lost my nerve as I made my way to the bar and took the seat right next to Juvia. She was resting her head on the counter, facing the other way, which was probably for the best. If she saw that I was coming, she might have tried to run off again.

I took in a shaky breath as I said, "H-hey Juvia?" I noticed how her body tensed up to the sound of my voice, and for a moment, I considered backing out. Despite the clear discomfort radiating off her body, she slowly raised her head up and looked over at me. I took in her appearance and marked how exhausted she looked. There were bags under her eyes and a sheen layer of sweat on her forehead.

'Perhaps I shouldn't bother her.'

'No!' a part of me exclaimed. 'You've made it this far, seal the deal!'

I took another deep breath and was surprised to hear how steady my voice sounded as I said, "We need to talk."

At first, it looked as though Juvia couldn't believe that I was sitting right beside her. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly agape.

'God that mouth--wait no! Focus!' I forced myself to fixate my gaze to the strand of hair right above her right eye. Just as I had decided that even the color of her hair was soothing to look upon, she finally spoke.

"There really isn't anything to talk about," she whispered, as if raising her voice would cause the roof to cave in on us.

"Juvia, I--what I said to you all those weeks ago, I was wrong. I'm sorry, just let me explain!" I pleaded, but I could see an expression forming on her face that I never thought I'd see directed at me.

It almost looked like...hate.

"Gray, I would really appreciate it if you would just leave me alone," she said, her voice raising just a bit. But it was enough to make my body inch away instinctively.

"Juvia, I didn't mean what I said. Honest. I just--I was just so angry with you for stalking me and--."

"That gave you no right to treat me that way!" she yelled, standing up from her seat. The once boisterous guild had grown excruciatingly quiet, but Juvia didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were burning holes into my skull. Every inch of her emitted a wave of resentment, it was almost palpable. I swallowed hard as I tried to keep eye contact with her.

"J-Juvia..," I whispered, trying to calm her down.

"No. You don't get to talk. After everything you've said to me, you're going to sit here and listen to what I have to say for once." She continued to glare down at me as she slammed her hand down on the counter, nearly shattering the wood underneath her palm. "Gray, for the last couple of years that I have known you, I have admired you. Not merely because I thought you were attractive. If anything, the respect you had earned from me was what made you appear desirable, but no longer." Tears started to well up in her eyes as she spoke. I resisted the urge to wipe them away, fearing that she may stop talking if I did. Although her words pained me, it was better than her cold silence.

"Gray, I never expected you to return my feelings. I never expected you to do anything."

"I admit, I was head-over-heels for you, and I wasn't afraid to illustrate my affection. Whenever we worked side-by-side, I was thrilled, and I acknowledge that you weren't always as excited as I was." I could feel guilt welling up inside me, and even though I didn't feel that way anymore, I did used to. And I wasn't exactly shy about letting her know.

"But we worked together, and you accepted me at your side. And when it became almost second nature for us to work together, I thought that I finally earned your respect. Not you love, let me emphasize that. I thought you finally accepted me as a trustworthy partner and member of the guild. And after what happened with your father..." Her voice faded, and her eyes softened for a moment. I thought she was going to cry, but she was able to regain her composure almost instantly.

"When I defeated Keyes, he told me to take care of you. That has always been my plan, but I made it my mission after your father had left you. You always have to go off and do things on your own, I know. But at the same time, you must recognize that missions alone aren't always the best tactic. Even Erza and Laxus travel in groups on missions, what makes you think you're much different?"

I wanted to stop her, to let her know that I understood where she was coming from. I wanted her to know that I was sorry. That I was wrong.

But the words wouldn't come.

The pain in her voice. The hurt in her eyes.

It was because of me.

"I just wanted...to keep my promise. To keep you safe. Ever since that terrible vision of you dying...I haven't been the same. I just couldn't bear the thought." She looked down at her hands, which were shaking. Her eyes widened in fear, as if they were stained with blood. "All I wanted was to protect you, even if it cost me my life. I wouldn't even have to think about it. I value your life more than my own, because I love you. And not once did I ever expect you to feel the same way. I just expected you to respect my wishes. Yet here we are. So there, Gray. I've laid everything that I had on the table, is there really anything more to talk about?" She looked at me, her brows furrowed in anger.

I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her, and beg her to forgive me. I wanted to kiss her, and tell her I finally realized what I had been missing. That I may have been falling for her this whole time, and didn't even realize it. I wanted to yell and tell her that I was an idiot. That I didn't deserve her respect.

But all I did was gaze at her in shock. My mouth was slightly open, but nothing came out.

Juvia waited for a minute or two, but it felt like an eternity as I tried to form any words, if it meant she would stay. But when she realized that I wasn't going to speak, she gave an exasperated sigh and mumbled, "I didn't think so." And then she left without another word.

I could feel several pairs of eyes glaring at me, but no one had to say anything.

I knew I fucked up again.


End file.
